Fire alarm



Aug. 16, 1949. J.IP, VILLALOBVOS 2,479,528

' FIRE ALARM Filed Sept. 25, 1946' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I, 3mm

55 Jote'fi'ZraniZa 142261202105 Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE ALARM Jo s Petronilo Villalobos, Zacatecas, Mexico Application September 23, 1946, Serial No. 698,629

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to fire alarms.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved fire alarm system which is automatically operated and which is adapted to close a series of signal circuits, one of which includes a telephone circuit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which includes a phonograph interposed in the loud speaker circuit which is energized by. operation of a thermostatic switch to provide the necessary audio means for a loud speaker circuit or PA system for giving an alarm when a fire occurs at one or more predetermined points.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a fire alarm assembly constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, of the electric circuits embodying this invention,

Figure 3 is a plan View of the thermostatic switch,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the circuit closing relay for the audio circuits,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring tothe drawings, the numeral I designates generally a phonograph having an electric operator for rotating the table The table II has mounted on the upper side thereof a phonograph record I2 and a tone arm or pick-up member, I3 is engaged with the outer portion of the record |2 so that upon rotation of the table II the sound track will be picked up and transmitted to an amplifier unit generally designated as 14.

The amplifier unit I4 is of conventional construction and has the input side thereof connected to the output of the phonograph H) by means of a pair of conductors I and IS. The output'side of the amplifier I4 is connected by, means of conductors IT and l8 to aloud speaker I3. It will be understood that there may be a number of these loud speakers [9 positioned at selected points so that the alarm caused by rotation of the table II will be sounded at desired points which may be remote from the phonograph.

In order toprovide for operation of the phonograph Ill, when a. fire occurs or when the temperature rises to a dangerous point, I have provided a thermostatic circuit closure generally designated as 20. The circuit closure 2|] includes a conventional thermostat having a swinging pointer 2| which constitutes the movable arm of a switch generally designated as 22. An adjustable contact 23 is carried by an elongated bar or strap 24 which extends through the insulated housing 25 of the thermostat. The adjustable contact 23 is connected by means of a conductor 26 to one side 21 of an electric supply source.

The electric conductor 21 is connected to one side of the motor of the phonograph I0 and the other side of the motor has a conductor 28 connected thereto. The conductor 21 is connected by means of a conductor 29 to the amplifier l4 and the other side of the amplifier I9 is adapted to be connected to the other side of the electric supply conductor 30 through a normally de-energized relay generally designated as 3|. The relay 3| includes a movable switch arm 32 which is spring-pressed by means of a spring 33 to move into engagement with a stationary contact 34.

The switch arm 32 is provided with a terminal 35 which is connected to the conductor 38 of the supply source. A conductor 36 is connected to the contact 34 and is also connected to the other side of the amplifier I4. The springpressed switch arm 32 has a releasing button 31 secured thereto between the ends thereof so that this switch arm can be pushed to circuit breaking position. The movable switch arm 32 is normally held in circuit breaking position by a yieldable armature 38 which is secured to an insulated base 39. The armature 38 is formed with a hook-shaped keeper 40 which is adapted to engage the free end of the switch arm 32 for normally holding the switch arm 32 in circuit breaking position.

The armature 38 is disposed in confronting position to the core 4| of an electro-magnetic relay 42. One side of the relay 42 is connected by means of a conductor 43 to a terminal 44 which may constitute the securing means for securing the armature 38 to the base 39. In

this manner one side of the relay 3| will be in circuit with the minus side of the supply source. When relay 3| is energized by means of the thermostatic switch 20, armature 38 will be drawn to the core 4| and spring 33 will move switch arm 32 into engagement with contact 34, thus breaking the circuit to the relay 3| while closing the circuit through the switch arm 32 and contact 34, to the amplifier id.

The conductor 28 is connected. to the conductor 36 so that when the amplifier 1 3 is in circuit with the supply source, an electric circuit will be closed to the motor of the phonograph it so that the table M will be rotated. The movable pointer or switch arm 21 of the thermostat 28 is connected by means of a conductor 45 to the other side of the coil 42 of the relay, thereby completing the electric circuit to the coil 52 when arm 25 engages contact 23.

In order to provide a means whereby a telephone circuit may be closed when the phonograph i8 is in operation 50 that .an alarm may be transmitted through the telephone system to the firehouse, I have provided a'switch id-which is mounted on the phonograph it, The switch 46 includes an insulating member 4? having a stationary contact 88 mounted thereon which is connected by means of a conductor 68 to one side of a telephone circuit. A resilient switch arm 58 is connected to a terminal 5i carried by the base i"! and is normally biased to engage the stationary contact =28.

In order to holdthe resilient switch arm 59 in circuit breaking position when the phonograph table H is inoperative, I have provided a switch arm holding member 52 which is secured by fastening means 53 to the periphery of the table H. The terminal 5! is connected by means of a conductor 5% to one side of a telephone transthe movable contact 58 is interposed between the :holding member 52 and the periphery of the table ii. The tone arm or pick-up member 58 is engaged with the outer portion of the record 52 and when the thermostatic switch arm 2! engages contact 23, an electric circuit will be closed through conductor 26, switch arm 2!, contact 23,

and conductor 35 to one side of the relay coil 42. The other side of the electric circuit to the relay coil is normally closed by engagement of the relay switch arm 32 with the hook member 46 of the armature 38. When relay 42 is energiz'ed, armature 38 will be drawn to the relay core 45, thereby breaking the circuit to the relay coil Q2 and permitting spring-pressed switch arm 32 which is connected to one side of the supply source to engage stationary contact 8:1.

At this time the electric circuit is closed through conductor 36 to the amplifier Hi and at the same time the electric circuit is closed through conductors 36 and 28 to the motor of the phonograph Hl. When the motor of the phonograph is energized, table i i will be rotated and the tone arm i3 will pick up the sound from the track of the record I2, transmitting this sound through conductors l5 and 28 to the input side of the amplifier i i. The amplifier it will transmit the audio frequency to the speaker l9 so that persons within the sound of the loud speaker will know that a fire has occured at one point in the building. There may be as many of these loud speakers [9 as may be desired so that the alarm may be transmitted throughout the build- When the table I rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, telephone switch 46 will be released whereby switch arm 50 may engage contact 48 thereby closing the telephone circuit so that the alarm transmitted by the loud speaker l9 will be picked up by the transmitter 55 and communicated to a point remote from the building.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling Within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A fire alarm comprising a normally inactive phonograph including a turntable and a tone arm, a motor for said turntable, an amplifier, an amplifier circuit connecting said amplifier and said tone arm, a source of electric current, relay means including a spring-pressed switch member, an armature trigger adapted in one position thereof to engage and electrically contact said switch member for holding the latter in power circuit breaking position, and a magnetic coil adapted when energized to attract said armature trigger to release said spring-pressed switch member, an electric conductor connected to one end of said coil and to one side of said source and having a thermostatically operated switch interposed therein, an electrical connection between the other end of said coil and said armature, and an electrical connection between said switch member and the other side of said source whereby a relay actuating circuit is provided when said thermostatic switch is closed and said armature trigger engages said switch member, a contact member adapted to be engaged by said switch member when the latter is released from said armature trigger, circuit connecting means between said contact member, said motor, said amplifier, and said one side of said source of electric current, whereby when said armature trigger releases said spring pressed switch member said motor and said amplifier will be energized and said coil will be de-energized to provide for continued operation of the fire alarm until the relay means are re-set.

J OSE PETRONILO VILLALOBOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller Nov. 14, 

